Middle East: First negotiations on judicial reform in Israel
Middle East
First negotiations on judicial reform in Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (r) in the Knesset in Jerusalem. The controversial judicial reform is to be negotiated in the evening. photo
© Maya Alleruzzo/AP
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government has suspended the controversial judicial reform for a few weeks. Now it’s time to negotiate. The protests, however, continue.
In the dispute over judicial reform in Israel, the right-wing religious coalition and the opposition want to meet for the first round of negotiations this Tuesday. President Izchak Herzog invited the working groups of the government and the two largest opposition parties to a meeting in the evening, his office said. During the week there should also be talks with the other parties. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously postponed the proposed law after massive protests in order to “make room for dialogue”.
Had a compromise proposal put forward by Herzog Netanyahu rejected as “unbalanced” about two weeks ago. The opposition backed it. It is unclear whether the proposal should now serve as a basis for discussion. The organizers of the protests announced that they would continue to demonstrate against the plans. “The opposition leaders and the president should know that they are taking part in a theatrical performance directed by Netanyahu,” criticized a spokesman. He called for another rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday.
